There are multiple different types of diodes and names for diodes used in the art. To name a few, there are high frequency diodes, low power signal diodes, tunnel diodes, Gunn diodes, power diodes, Schottky diodes, PIN diodes, breakover diodes, soft recovery diodes, fast recovery diodes, avalanche diodes, Zener diodes, light emitting diodes, laser diodes, diodes that have very high reverse voltage blocking ratings, and diodes that are designed to have other unusual performance characteristics. Different diodes can be made out of various different materials. There are many different diode structures.
One specialized prior art application called for a high resistance to diode destruction due to avalanche breakdown. In the application, discrete diodes were coupled together into a string of series-connected discrete diodes. There was initially not a high forward current passed through the string, but rather there was initially either only a small forward current or a reverse voltage that was well below the cumulative rated reverse blocking capability of the series-connected diodes. In the demanding application, however, the series-connected diodes were then subjected to short pulses of a very high reverse voltage. In such a pulse, the very high reverse voltage exceeded the cumulative rated reverse blocking voltage capability of the entire string of diodes. Each diode of the string began avalanche breakdown. Charge carriers started to be generated in the diode due to the avalanche condition, but before the diode could be destroyed the high reverse voltage condition passed. It was found that prior art inverse diodes manufactured by the assignee of this patent document exhibited superior resistance to destruction in the demanding application as compared to other types of diodes, so inverse diodes manufactured by the assignee were utilized. The prior art inverse diodes were DWN diodes as set forth in: 1) the data sheet entitled “Diode Chip”, DWN 17-18, by IXYS Corporation of Milpitas, Calif. 95035, USA; and 2) the 2004 description entitled “FRED, Rectifier Diode and Thyristor Chips in Planar Design”, by IXYS Semiconductor GmbH, Edisonstrasse 15, D-68623, Lampertheim, Germany.